Kith’takharos Campaign 36-37

Read all the Kith’takharos Campaign session recaps here.

A few weeks ago, one of the players dropped out of the group for personal reasons. The character he was playing at that time, the healer Fiona, became an NPC and subsequently died fighting the Veilwalker Dreamseeker in Tarass Shar Orn. This session we added a new player and his character, the dwarf warrior Ironbeard.

Xanthus Bome immediately gathers a force of about fifty militia, a large complement for a village the size of Kith’takharos. The group will scout ahead as Bome’s command nears the Teleportation Tower. Bome introduces them to Ironbeard, a proven dwarf warrior that will assist in the scouting.

The journey takes about a day of continuous poling in Jade Leaf skiffs. A mile from the tower, Bome halts the advance while the group ranges ahead. From the ground, the tower seems undefended, and the group suspects that they may have been tricked. Still, they enter through the front door and search each room as they ascend. The tower shows evidence of habitation, but no people until they reach the hatch leading to the roof.

About a dozen poachers hold a position on the roof, led by the pesky Travan, who has troubled the group numerous times in the past. After a short, sharp fight, the poachers are defeated and Travan escapes by jumping off the roof. They find Yavanna tied to a wheeled chair. Information gathered from Yavanna and a captured poacher suggests that Yavanna’s assistant, Christophe Moreau, must actually be Huygens Tierney! No one saw this coming, and it is now obvious how Tierney knew so much about Jade Leaf operations.

The group sets off a flare and meets Bome at the base of the tower. Bron still has the magical summoning ring Zzhastor Brune gave him, and he uses this to signal Brune. Bome accompanies the group when Brune teleports them all back to Kith’takharos.

They appear in Niki Ocnita’s shop, The Tipped Cup, where Brune is conversing with the construct Patch. Smoke is rising from the direction of the Jade Leaf Keep and they can hear the faint sounds of fighting from Kith’takharos Keep. Brune and Patch accompany the group as they rush toward Kith’takharos Keep.

A number of Jade Leaf and poacher corpses are scattered near the keep’s entrance, and the group comes under attack once they enter the courtyard. They brush aside the poachers and enter the main building. The clash of arms sound from the audience chamber, and they find Huygens Tierney and a number of poachers dispatching the last defenders protecting Lady Salmissra. Dorian Orsova lay face down in a pool of blood. Koran Thelig throws himself in front of Lady Salmissra and is struck down by Huygens Tierney/Christophe Moreau. No one remains to save Lady Salmissra save the group.

Tierney has arcane abilities that no one expected and is protected by powerful magic. He summons creatures to fight for him and enjoys taunting the group. Bome goes down, and then Patch. Bron manages to keep the group on its feet, but barely. Finally, a losing Tierney attempts to kill Lady Salmissra as his last act. Cheyl brings him down before the fatal blow can be struck and the battle is over. Once more, Kith’takharos has been saved.